Thomas E Mclaughlin

US Patent:

7380756, Jun 3, 2008

Filed:

Nov 16, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/994029

Inventors:

Carl L. Enloe - Colorado Springs CO, US
Thomas E. McLaughlin - Colorado Springs CO, US
Eric J. Jumper - Granger IN, US
Thomas C. Corke - Granger IN, US

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force - Washington DC

International Classification:

B64C 13/02

US Classification:

244175, 244205, 244198, 244130

Abstract:

A single dielectric barrier aerodynamic plasma actuator apparatus based on the dielectric barrier discharge phenomenon is disclosed and suggested for application to aerodynamic uses for drag reduction, stall elimination and airfoil efficiency improvement. In the plasma actuator apparatus non-uniform in time and space, partially ionized gasses are generated by one or more electrode pairs each having one electrically encapsulated electrode and one air stream exposed electrode and energization by a high-voltage alternating current waveform. The influence of electrical waveform variation, electrode polarity, electrode size and electrode shape on the achieved plasma are considered along with theoretical verification of achieved results. Light output, generated thrust, ionizing current waveform and magnitude and other variables are considered. Misconceptions prevailing in the present day plasma generation art are addressed and are believed-to-be corrected.